IATA releases its Contactless Travel Directory

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced the release of its Contactless Travel Directory on Monday, 7th April.

The Contactless Travel Directory was developed to quickly scale and increase adoption of contactless travel solutions for both airports and airlines.

That said, the Directory will power a matchmaking service to help airlines identify and offer contactless travel at specific airports, including with their partner airlines.

Contactless travel uses interoperable biometric solutions to enable travelers to move through the travel process without relying on paper documentation such as passports or boarding passes. 

Parts of the travel process that could be made more efficient with contactless travel include bag drop, lounge access, security access, security screening, and boarding.

Making things easier

According to IATA senior vice-president for operations, safety, and security Nick Careen: “The release of the Contactless Travel Directory will make it easier for airlines to expand biometric service opportunities for their customers. As travelers expect ever greater efficiency, biometric recognition technology is taking on a growing role in facilitating travel.”

Careen added that, together with the IATA One ID initiative, the Directory will help accelerate this most necessary transition thanks to critical data and compliance with global standards.

Digital services provider Airware, together with identity management providers IDEMIA and iPassport, will be the first to demonstrate the use of the Directory. 

At this year’s Passenger Terminal Expo, scheduled for this week in Madrid, delegates will be able to enroll during check-in for fictitious flights between the UK and Spain using the WorldJet Airline App, then pass through the biometric touchpoints at both Airware’s and IDEMIA’s booths, as one would in a real airport.

Key features of the Contactless Travel Directory

• A single reference point for airlines to determine the availability of biometric travel touchpoints across their network.
• Traveler eligibility information by location, so airlines know which travelers (nationality, passport compatibility, and age) will be eligible for contactless services using biometric identification.
• Technical protocols airlines need to connect with other airline or airport biometric touchpoints.